insideOakwood: USM Election Results, Retool Your School, UNCF Gala, and more

Oakwood's United Student Movement Election Results

The United Student Movement (USM), the student government association of Oakwood University, recently announced the outcome of the 2017 USM Executive Officer Election, which was held on March 2, 2017.

President	Andrew Taylor
Executive Vice President	Josiah Taylor
Academic Vice President	Dearra Walters
Financial Vice President	Greguy Frais
Social Vice President	Ashley George
Religious Vice President	Kahleel Clarke
Athletic Vice President	Dov Johnson
Parliamentarian	Dan-Obed Henry

The USM finances its own programs through payment of individual membership dues, and each matriculating regular student of Oakwood University is a member of the organization.

With the help and approval of faculty sponsors, the Department of Student Activities, and the Division of Student Services, the USM carries out programs and events intended to enhance the academic, social, athletic, and religious life of students at Oakwood. Some of these activities include:

Back to School Block Party
USM Banquet
Intramural Sport Competitions
Student Revivals
DEEP Sabbath
Spirit Week
Oak Awards
Academic Bowl Competitions

The USM also produces the official Oakwood University student newspaper, The Spreading Oak, and the official Oakwood University yearbook, The Acorn.

Urban Mission Trip to Washington, D.C.

Please remember our students in prayer while they spend Spring Break in Washington, D.C., where they are participating in a national mission. Here are some pictures of the students helping to plant an urban garden for healthy living.

#GiveMe5OU -- Home Depot Retool Your School Grant Program

Oakwood Nation, with your help for the past four years, Oakwood University has been blessed to win top prizes in The Home Depot's Retool Your School grant program.

Let's make this year #5!! Voting continues through April 16, 2017, at http://retoolyourschool.com.

Simply vote every day on every device, AND please use the hashtag #oakwood_RYS17 on every post on all social media platforms, especially Twitter and Instagram.

The Retool Your School Program was established in 2010 to provide support for campus improvement projects to the nation's HBCUs. Since the program's inception, over one million dollars in grant money has been awarded.

GiveMe5OU -- let's do this!!

The new GiveMe5OU video encourages everyone to vote for Oakwood every day through April 16 at retoolyourschool.com.

Save the Date for "Oakwood on the Road"

On Sabbath, April 8, Oakwood University will present a special edition of "Oakwood on the Road" at the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana.

President Dr. Leslie N. Pollard will deliver the sermon during Divine Worship, and Dynamic Praise will present a concert that evening.

The emphasis of the day will be health and Christian education, as the city of New Orleans is at the end of the 2017 Tour de Youth, a six-day, 533-mile bicycle ride, that will have originated in Houston, Texas.

If you would like to join the Tour de Youth as a rider, or to make a contribution, visit www.bedetermined.org.

39th Annual UNCF Gala set for April 13

Globally-acclaimed musician Jonathan Butler will be the special guest performer at the 39th Annual UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Gala on Thursday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. The Gala will be held in the North Hall of the Von Braun Center, and will feature an award presentation to radio personality and philanthropist Tom Joyner.

To purchase individual UNCF Gala tickets or sponsor a table, go to www.ougiving.com, or www.eventbrite.com. For information about the UNCF North Alabama Campaign, contact Kisha Norris: [email protected] | 256-726-7201.

During an extraordinary musical life that has unfolded in the public eye, Butler has seen and endured a lot. His music has purpose, providing comfort and genuine inspiration. When he sings, he testifies to the glory and healing power of love. Jonathan Butler's recording career has carried him far, far beyond his wildest dreams. He's living his dream and that is a blessing for us all.

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. The 37-member, minority education organization provides operating funds for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), scholarships and internships for students at about 900 institutions, and faculty and administrative professional training. For more than 70 years, UNCF has raised more than $3.6 billion to help more than 400,000 students attend college and graduate from college.

As the only North Alabama UNCF member institution, Oakwood University is grateful and proud to contribute to the concerted effort of raising funds for the mission of the UNCF. Each year, Oakwood hosts the UNCF North Alabama Campaign, culminating with the Annual UNCF Gala held on the Thursday evening of its Alumni Weekend.

Reaves Warren Lectureship on Preaching

The inaugural convening of the Reaves Warren Lectureship is scheduled to take place on Friday, April 14, 2017, during Alumni Homecoming Weekend, on the campus of Oakwood University.

The Lectureship is inspired by the lasting influence of Calvin E. Moseley, the first African-American teacher of preaching at Oakwood beginning in 1934, and his immediate successor Clarence T. Richards, in 1951.

Presentations on theory and practice of biblical preaching are in keeping with the objectives of the lectureship under the auspices of the School of Religion. Speakers have been selected who are deemed to be:

academically prepared;
familiar with homiletic theory;
experienced in practical pulpit proclamation; and
reflective of a personal ethos that encourages Christian principles.

The lectureship rallying motto is: "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction..." 2 Timothy 4:2-5 (NIV).

The families of Benjamin F. Reaves and Mervyn A. Warren are founding this preaching lectureship, providing the initial endowment, and inviting all who appreciate the preaching education program at Oakwood University to contribute to its life and growth. Financial contributions may be sent to:

The Reaves-Warren Lectureship

Office of Advancement and Development

Oakwood University

7000 Adventist Blvd., NW

Huntsville, Alabama 35896

DONATE HERE

Employee Notes

On March 3, Dr. Ramona L. Hyman (right), associate professor of English, shared in the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Seuss at Highland Elementary School in Huntsville. The National Education Administration's Read Across America is a year-round program that focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources. Mrs. Davita Eanes and Dr. Hyman celebrated with Highland Elementary School's 6th graders.

Alumni News

Janice Johnson Browne, M.S., Ph.D., GCM '73, recently conducted two days of training on Effective Leadership for the Women's Ministry Department of the General Conference, for 85 Women Ministry Leaders in Ukraine. She was joined by Heather-Dawn Small, Director of Woman's Ministry of the General Conference, Raisa Ostrovskaya, Director of the Euro-Asia Division, and Iryna V. Begas, Union Director Ukrainian Union Conference, for a third day of conference projects and reports. Dr. Browne also conducted a two-week evangelistic meeting, held in the 4th Church in Lviv, Ukraine. The meeting was very spiritual and well received, resulting in baptisms and further Bible studies. Each evening, the meeting could be viewed live on Facebook.

On March 4, during the Loma Linda University Alumni Weekend, several Oakwoodites paused for a photo oppportunity after the "Focus on Black Alumni" session. Pictured are (l-r): Dr Eddie Pelote, '79, David Conkerite, '11, Dr. Carlton Sampson, '82, Dr. Niccetta Davis (attended), Lynn Davis, '76, Dr. Stevie Reynolds, '07, Jim Ervil (attended), Dr. Leon Seard, '81, and Dr Allycin Powell Hicks White, '05.

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About Oakwood

The mission of Oakwood University, a historically black, Seventh-day Adventist institution, is to transform students through biblically-based education for service to God and humanity.